Steep for 10-15 minutes. You start with a handful of herbs for every 1.5 cups of water. If using a sachet or bag of mountain tea, put it in a mug and pour 8 oz. Take 1 to 2 teaspoons of Greek Mountain tea and place into an infuser Pour in boiling water and steep for 5-15 min Add water and Greek mountain tea to a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. You can add honey as well as milk or lemon to flavor the tea. How Do You Make Greek Mountain Tea? For a hot preparation of Greek mountain tea, I recommend using a tea strainer. Other Health Benefits of Mountain Tea → Hippocrates, father of a great philosopher and modern medicine, praised greek mountain tea for its positive effects on immunity and respiratory system. Before discarding the bag, squeeze to maximize the amount of phytonutrients which are released into your drink. Greek mountain tea is a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea infusion made from the dried flowers, leaves and stems of the Sideritis plant, which flourishes throughout high elevations in the mountains of Greece. The way we prepare Greek Mountain Tea is very simple, yet we need to keep in mind that it should not boil, otherwise its ingredients will be destroyed. This tea consists of select handpicked dried flowers, leaves and stems of the native Sideritis plant which grow wild throughout the mountainous regions of Greece. Allow the tea to boil for 3 to 5 minutes depending on your strength preference. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Tulsi Tea? How to Brew Greek Mountain Tea “ redolent of the Greek countryside in the summertime, when the intoxicating scent of wild thyme and oregano fill the air”. Once the sorted tea has been bundled, it is hung in special drying sheds. Shaped like a spear with multiple yellow flowers, it grows at higher altitudes, has a mild and sweet aroma and is delicious drunk both hot or on ice and with a slice of lemon. Work With Us | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Affiliate Disclosure | DMCA Policy, View lemonandolives’s profile on Facebook, View lemonandolives’s profile on Instagram, View lemonandolives’s profile on Pinterest, « Meat Stuffed Apples – Mila Gemista Me Kima. Enjoy! Once the water boils, remove your pot from the heat and allow the tea to steep for 5-10 minutes, depending on how strong you’d like your tea. Syriaca is only one of many varieties of Siderities (aka Greek Mountain Tea). Harvested by hand, the 30cm plants are gathered together and using a scythe, cut approximately 3cm from the ground. Pour the tea mixture through a strainer directly into your cup. So, what are the side effects of regularly using Greek Mountain Tea? Greek Mountain Tea also known as Ironwort or Shepherd’s Tea, is a sweet smelling herb, grown in a region south of Thessaloniki, Greece. Take a look at this list: That’s right. Greek mountain tea has an earthy taste and, if you use the flowers, a slight floral scent. Greek grandmother’s rule: At least one cup a day. Add a handful of dried leaves and flowers to the pan for every 1.5 cups of water. Albania is a very nice country as well as the others, with friendly people and they have many good things to offer to the international community. A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties. Strain and pour tea into a cup. Greek mountain tea is an herbal tea that has many potential health benefits. Amount: 75g (2.65oz) Servings: Approximately 25 ($0.44 per serving) Organic: EU certified - DIO. Add about 10 ounces of water and bring to a … It is the variety that is grown on the island of Crete (also known there as Malotira). When the water boils, pour it into the mug with the tea bag or tea strainer. Add the tea to a pot filled with the amount of water you will serve and bring to a boil. Greek “Teas” from Yahoo! Eskil, this tea is known as Greek Mountain Tea because of the historical records for more than 2,500 years. Then, place the strainer in a cup and pour boiling water over it. Break apart a few stems of the tea—including the leaves, stem, and flowers. → And for thousands of years greeks drink this tea because of their health benefits, such as colds, breathing problems, digestion, a positive effect on immune system and anxiety. of freshly boiled water atop. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Ceylon Tea? Bring the water to boiling. As the other posters have noted, Sideritis flourishes in the wild at very high elevations on very poor soils in very poor conditions. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Green Tea? Here's to your health! Sideritis, also known as ironwort, mountain tea, and shepherd's tea, is a genus of flowering plants well known for their use as herbal medicine, commonly as an herbal tea.They are abundant in Mediterranean regions, the Balkans, the Iberian Peninsula and Macaronesia, but … Greek Mountain Tea is made using the dried leaves and flowers of Sideritis plants (ironwort). Organic and wild, hand picked, Mountain tea (Sideritis purpurea; Ironwort) from the mountains of Epirus, North West Greece. Remove herbs, strain and allow to cool. Greek Mountain Tea (Mount Olympus) Greek Mountain Tea (Mount Olympus) Qty: Origin: Mount Olympus, Greece. So, this Greek Mountain “Tea” is for me a bit of a misnomer. It is said to have a positive effect on almost anything that ails you, but mostly it is used to combat colds, respiratory problems, indigestion, and mild anxiety. https://www.lemonandolives.com/greek-tea-what-it-is-and-how-to-make-it These plants are hardy flowering perennials that have adapted to survive with little water and little soil. The tea is packaged as loose tea, not as tea bags. For one serving, add a small handful of the herb to water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. This special tea is historically known as “Shepherd’s Tea” because Greek shepherds would make a brewed tea out of the plants while directing their flocks on the hillsides. The tea is aptly named: The plant used to make it is found on rocky slopes at elevations over 3,200 feet. For every cup of tea, use one or two branches or sprigs of mountain tea. Mountain Tea is enormously popular in Greece and is brewed most often in winter when levels of physical activity decrease and colds, aches, and pains increase. Generations of Greeks have long sipped it as a remedy for ailments from the common cold to digestive issues. The tea contains high levels of antioxidants and large amounts of essential oils, flavonoids, sterols, and other phytonutrients. Your email address will not be published. Picture Press / Ulrike Holsten / Getty Images. On Crete, the common name for Mountain Tea is malotira, and almost every region of Greece has its own name for the brew, such as Olympos tea and Parnassos tea, reflecting the name of the mountain where it grows. These plants are hardy flowering perennials that have adapted to survive with little water and little soil. Remove the pan from the heat and let the tea steep for another 3 to 5 minutes. I gave him Greek mountain tea for two months, and now he has improved to such an extent that he is preparing to go on holiday with a friend in the Alps!” Mountain tea, which has a high phyto-nutrient content that protects it from UV rays and other elements, usually grows in rocky places at an altitude of 1000 metres and above (which is why it’s also known as Shepherd’s Tea). Add a teaspoon of the dried herb to a tea strainer or use one tea bag and place in your mug. Warm up some water and right before it starts boiling retract it from the fire. Gather 1-2 stems of the tea leaves and break them into thirds, Fill your briki (or a pot) with the water; turn heat to medium-high, Place your tea leaves in the water and let boil, Once boiling, remove briki from heat and allow tea to steep for about 7 mins, Pour tea into cup while carefully using a strainer to catch the tea leaves, Sweeten with sugar or honey (optional) and enjoy. While many other teas are made by pouring boiling water over the tea leaves or herbs, many suggest that bringing the water to a boil … Greek Mountain Tea is the new green tea. Allow to boil for 3-5 minutes and steep for about 3-5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Add leaves, stems and all, and bring water to a boil. Sideritis also known as ironwort, shepherd’s tea and mountain tea is a genus of flowering plants widely known for their use in herbal medicine as well as a herbal tea. Species: Sideritis scardica. Sideritis raeseri is also gathered in the wild in these regions. Add the mountain tea, leave it in for 3-5 minutes and then strain it -- a couple of tea branches are enough for one regular cup. This tea contains antioxidants and flavonoids, and might even help reduce pain. In Greece, the tea is sold in grocery shops, pharmacies and herb-and-spice shops, or it can be picked fresh and dried at home. After steeping for about five minutes, your hot cup of Greek mountain tea should be ready! Only one variety of this plant, Sideritis raeseri, is cultivated, typically in Greece, Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. It is native to Greece and the Balkan region. Get easy-to-follow, delicious recipes delivered right to your inbox. Ask ten people how to brew Greek Mountain Tea, and you might get ten different answers! How to make Greek Tea or Greek Mountain Tea as it's also known. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is White Tea? Mild and smooth without any bitterness, it's caffeine-free and packed with high concentrations of antioxidants and phyto-nutrients. Modern studies have found it to have antimicrobial, memory, digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits. Reduce Sideritis raeseri is also … The most common English name other than Mountain Tea is Shepherd's Tea because Greek shepherds use the plants to make a brewed tea while tending their flocks high in the hills. Pour into a large pitcher filled with ice and serve or refrigerate. Let it boil for 3-5 minutes. Bring a pot of water to a boil. It is said to bolster the immune system and is valued for its antioxidants, as an anti-inflammatory and to reduce fever. Mountain Tea / Tsai Tou Vounou (Pictured top) You could call Mountain Tea “ironman tea” as its official Greek name sideritis (ironwort), literally means ‘he who is made of, or contains iron’. It using loose ironwort, place a small handful in a pot with 10-12 oz of water. What Is Black Tea? This videois a short and sweet how-to on the brewing process. The tea made from Sideritis raeseri is credited with easing a wide range of physical ailments. For a 10-ounce or 1.5 cup serving: Serving suggestion: Serve Mountain Tea at breakfast or before retiring at night with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and crusty bread. Place 12 ounces of water in a pan on the stove for a 10-ounce (1.5 cup) serving of tea. The tea is aptly named: The plant used to make it is found on rocky slopes at elevations over 3,200 feet. Turn … Unlike most teas, the flavor is enhanced by boiling the leaves and flowers. In this case, the plant is Sideritis, otherwise known as ironwort. Put 2 cups water in a small pot and turn heat to medium-high. Making Mountain Tea is pretty simple. Sourcing: High elevation, hand grown. Greek Mountain Tea is made using the dried leaves and flowers of Sideritis plants (ironwort). The plant grows on rocky slopes (Greece and the nearby island of Crete have a lot of those) at around 3,200 feet elevation. This does not mean that it does not grow in other countries particularly in the Balkan peninsula. Outside Greece, it is sold as "Greek Mountain Tea" or "Greek Mountain Shepherd's Tea" at specialty shops, and it can be found online. Some of the water will evaporate. Images. Only one variety of this plant, Sideritis raeseri, is cultivated, typically in Greece, Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. Go to Top of Page Study Description Study Design Arms and Interventions Outcome Measures Eligibility Criteria Contacts and Locations More Information. Our preferred way is to take a very small handful – what fits in the palm of your hand – of the tea (dried flowers, stem, leaves and all) – around 3 grams – and put in a small pot. Serve with honey or lemon and sprig of Greek mountain tea (Sideritis) as garnish. For dried tea leaves or tea bags, add about 2 tablespoons or a third of a tea bag, into a teapot and fill with boiling water, letting steep for five to 10 minutes. Greek Mountain Tea has been used to remedy symptoms of colds and flu viruses, gastrointestinal issues, curing some ulcers, and the scientific literature even indicates it is helpful to reduce cognitive and memory decline due to aging. 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